Gene Hackman opens up about ‘fear of passing away’ in resurfaced interview

Gene Hackman and wife, Betsy Arakawa tragically passed away in silence, and their bodies were found at their home earlier this week.

In a resurfaced interview, the Hollywood star opened up about retiring from his long acting career, motivated by his worries for wife and family.

In the interview with Larry King in 2004, Hackman said, "I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears. I have the normal fear of passing away – you know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age."

"I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of. Other than that, I don’t have a lot of fears," he added.

Reflecting on his “severe angina” attack in 1990, Hackman told King, "I didn’t really know the extent of it at the time, and it happened very quickly. I was in the same day."

The interview resurfaced after the Oscar-winner was found dead with his wife in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Wednesday.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths were deemed suspicious enough for a criminal investigation, which is still ongoing.

The actor was 95 at the time of his death.